LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Daylight Saving Time is a concept that's become the norm for Americans, but why do we use it?
"It is a uniquely American idea. The idea goes back to none other than Benjamin Franklin," said David Ware.
Ware is the state historian for Arkansas. He said that Benjamin Franklin submitted a satirical proposal to a French journal in the 1780s.
"He supported this satirical letter with calculations to the number of candles that could be saved with more efficient use of the long summer days," Ware said.
Nearly a century and a half later, the idea would become law in the United States.
"We finally adopt Daylight Saving Time in 1918. The idea was to make more daylight for production purposes," he said.
However, the decision was a controversial one.
"It was not popular. After World War I, Congress promptly revoked it. It became optional. Eastern states kept it and western states tended to abandon it," Ware said.
However, the policy was picked up again with the expansion of travel during the mid-20th century.
"In the 1950s and the 1960s and the growth of commercial aviation. We see airlines wanting to have consistent schedules," Ware said.
As a result, we saw the return of daylight-saving time.
"In the 1960s, we see the return of federally mandated daylight-saving time," he said.
So, is it here to stay?
Well, recently the U.S. Senate weighed in. They unanimously voted in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent year-round.
Despite the unanimous vote, it has has stalled in the House however.
It something that raises some questions for Ware.
"You know the idea of simplifying things is still there. Now, why they would do this instead of referring to the standard time--who knows," Ware said.